MARIA V. SNYDER; Magic Study

Author: Maria V. Snyder
Novel: Magic Study
Release date: 2006
Category: Fantasy

Blurb: With her greatest enemy dead, and on her way to be united with the family she'd been stolen from long ago, Yelena should be pleased. But although she has gained her freedom, she once again finds herself alone–separated from her lover Valek and suspected as a spy for her reluctance to conform to Sitian ways.

Despite the turmoil, she's eager to start her magic training–especially as she's been given one year to harness her power or be put to death. But her plans take a radical turn when she becomes embroiled in a plot to reclaim the Ixia's throne for a lost prince–and gets entangles in powerful rivalries with her fellow magicians.

If that wasn't bad enough, it appears her brother would love to see her dead. Luckily, Yelena has some old friends to help her with all her new enemies...

Review: Again, another wonderful read from Maria. My main, and only, problem with this novel is that none of the ideas were new. Though expertly written, the overall feel was not original. A shame really since Maria's first novel, Poison Study was. With the protagonist, Yelena not having magic she had to rely on her own instincts to survive life at court. Now, in the second book, with her own newly discovered magic, Yelena is changing from hellcat into a much more magic reliant unoriginal student trying to discover the extent of her powers. The other thing that I liked about the first novel and that was missing in the second was that Yelena had faults. She was more realistic because she wasn't the top of her field, she didn't know all the tricks in the book which I found refreshing. In Magic Study though she is the typical heroine with magic enough to beat the Masters and how arrives just in time to save the day.

I also feel I have to warn any readers that Magic Study does contain come adult themes and violence, some of which I thought I little uanessacry.

Because I still enjoyed this book but thought is could have been so much more I am giving it three out of five stars.